brooks



(No Model.)

v B.-J. BROOKS.

SELF FASTENING SEAL.

Patented Nov. 23, 1886.

22; m 2 z x 5 I; z

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD J. BROOKS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JEEsEY, ASSIGNOR TO E. J. BROOKS & 00., on NEW YORK, N. Y.

SELF-FASTENING S EAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,246, dated November 23, 1886.

Application filed Octobcr2, 1886. Serial No. 215,170. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. BROOKS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Orange, in the State of New J crscy, have invented a new and useful Improvement in SelfFastening Seals, of which the followingis a specification.

Thisinvention relates to additional improvements in those classes of self fastening or snap seals set forth in my previous specifications, forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,932, dated April 27, 1886, and No. 345,764, dated July 20, 1886; and it consists in certain pcculiarly-constructed parts and combinations of parts, as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

The objects of this invention are, first, to form a compact and secure self-fastening seal adapted to have its parts preliminarily united with facility, and to admit of the employment of tubular seal parts of different lengths without adjusting the snap-catches and guards of the shackles to each; secondly, to facilitate making cast or molded seal parts preferably of transparent glass; thirdly, to provide for the employment of non-circular guards and noncircular sockets therefor in seal parts of any preferred external shape, so that different external shapes and different combinations may distinguish or aidin distinguishing the seals of different users, as different railroads; and, fourthly, to insure securely fastening a single snap-catch in a seal part of small size by compelling the sealer to insert the catch in one position only, in-- which position it will properly engage a catch-shoulder confined to one side of the guard socket or entrance to the seal part.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof.

Figures 1 and 2 of these drawings are perspective views of the seal part and shackle, respectively, of a self-fastening seal constructed according to the present invention. Fig. l represents a magnified sectional perspective view of said seal part, showing its lettering. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the parts as preliminarily united; and Figs. 3 and 3 represent sections of the fastened seal, the former showing a front view. Fig. 4: represents asectional front view of a modified seal illustrating the same invention. Fig. 5 is an end view of its seal part. Fig. 6 represents a cross-section thereof, and Fig. 7 represents a longitudinal section of the sealpart, with elevations of the cores by which its interior is shaped. Figs. 7 and 7 arelike views representing additional modifications of the cores. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 represent cross-sections of seal parts illustrating additional modifications of this invention.

Like letters of refereuceindicate corresp onding parts in thescveral figures.

Each seal part A is cast or molded of suitable material, rendering it hard or rigid, and preferably frangible and transparent. All these qualities belong to ordinary bottle-glass, untinted or of light colors, which is consequently preferred; but the seal parts may be of any other suitable n1aterial-such as typemetal. A middle chamber, a, of any convenient shape in cross-section, diagonally-opposite entrances c, noncircular in cross-section, at the respective ends of said chamber, and catch-shoulders i 6, extending in opposite directions from the inner ends of the respective entrances, complete the internal features of eaclnseal part. Externally the seal part is preferably of a distinctive shape, corresponding or contrasting with that of its entrances, so as to distinguish or aid in distinguishing the seals of a given road or other user of this make of seals, as oval and half-oval in the seal represented by Figs. 1 to 3 square and triangular, Figs. 4 to 7; round and half-round, Fig. 8; square and half-round, Fig. 9; round and triangular, Fig. 10.

Eachshackle B is of flexible metallic wire, and is provided at each end with snap-catches b,projectingin opposite directions,and adapted to automatically interlock with said shoulders 2' within said chamber a of the seal part when properly inserted through the entrances 6. Each shackle end is further provided with roughening projections or indentations 0 near the catchb and upon the roughened necks" of the shackle so formed entrance-guards G G are cast or molded,being preferably of transparent glass, so as to expose to view said projections or indentations. These" guards are fitted to said entrances e, and stop-shoulders dor 0, formed either on the guards (as d) or within the entrances, (as 0,) limit their insertion, so that the respective catches just clear the shoulders, with which they interlock when fully inserted. Their inspection through a transparent seal part is thus facilitated, and interference between the catches at the fast ening operation is prevented.

To insure inserting the respective catches I) so as to properly interlock with the shoulders 2', the non-circular entrances e, forming the sockets for said guards G, are so shaped, together with the latter, that the guards can only be inserted in one, which is the proper. position. Any irregular non-circular shape will suffice for this purpose, such as either of those hereinbefore specified.

Said chamber a, entrances e, and shoulders '50 within the seal part are readily formed by a pair of simple metallic cores, D D, as illustrated by Fig. 7, and, if desired, the respective shoulders may be undercut by the same means, as illustrated by Figs. 7 and 7, so as to in crease the security of the seal. This would be especially desirable in seals of large size.

I prefer to make the seal part very small say an inch long, more or lessso as to economize material and shipping expenses, and to facilitate carrying the seals, as also to facilitat'e the unsealing operation. To facilitate reading, the necessarily minute lettering or distinguishing-marksx, Fig. l, on such seal parts of small size, I form the same by raised characters, preferably within a depressed panel, and color their outermost faces with waterproof ink or paint, which can readily be applied by means of a soft roller by hand or in an automatic machine.

One end of the shackle may be fastened within the seal part at the factory to preliminarily unite the parts, so as to facilitate handling the seals, as represented by Fig. 2". To seal a car-door, for example, the other end of the shackle is passed through the customary sta ple, E, or the like, and its catch 2) is inserted into the open entrance 6, followed by the guard C on said shackle end, and before the latter is arrested by said stop-shoulderd or 0 the catch snaps behind the corresponding catchshoulder, i, with an audiblehclick.

1. In a self-fastening seal, a tubular sealpart having a middle chamber and an entrance and catch-shoulder at each end, in combination with -a flexible shackle having snapcatches at its respective ends, which interlock independently with the respective catch-shoul ders, substantially as herein specified.

2. In a self-fastening seal, a cast or molded seal part havinga middle chamber, diagonallyopposite entrances at the respective ends of said chamber, and diagonally-opposite catchshoulders in line with the respective entrances, substantially as'herein specified, whereby the interior is adapted to be readily shaped by a pair of cores, in themanner set forth.

3. In a self-fastening seal, a seal part having a middle chamber, a pair of entrances in its respective ends, which are non-circular in crosssection, and a pair of internal catchshoulders, and constructed with a distinctive external shape, to distinguish or aid in distinguishing seals of different owners, substantially as herein specified.

4. In a self-fastening seal, a guard of irregular non-circular shape, as semi-oval, in crosssection, in combination with a hollow seal part having an entrance of like irregular noncircular shape in cross-section, and a catchshoulder at oncside of said entrance, and a shackle upon,|which said guard is fast, having a single snap-catch at its extremity, to interlock with said shoulder, whereby the insertion of the catch in the proper position to so interlock with said catch-shoulder is insured, substantially as herein specified, for the purpose setforth.

EDIVARD J. BROOKS.

Witnesses:

JOHN J. HALLEY, THEo. WENK. 

